give me more than i can handle

Where we live it is unusual to have five children.  I often am told that God has given me five because He knows I can handle it.  That I am so this or the other thing.  I will tell you that I am just like you.  I get overwhelmed.  I get frustrated and scared.  Many days my home and my life looks like a wreck.  But in the midst of the chaos I have learned this:  If God only gave you what you could handle then you wouldn't need God.  And I desperately need Him and He will always, always meet that need to be what I cannot be on my own strength.  

If you believe that God will only give you what YOU can handle it begins to limit your options.  You are not free to step out in faith, to take a risk, or to move out of your comfort zone.  Your success is totally dependent upon yourself.  

And then what happens if you do experience difficulties?  If God only gives you what you can handle? Then when you are in the midst of a trial and feel like you are not going to be able to make it on your own your world starts to fall apart?  This line of thinking is also a slap in the face to those around you going through a trial because "they should be able to handle" what they are going through.  

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this race in which we stand;  and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  ~ Romans 5:1-5

If God only gave me what I could handle then there would never be the opportunity to develop character, hope and perseverance.  He instead gives us more than we can handle on our own strength so that we can be free from our pride and self-reliance.  He gives us more than we can handle for our Freedom.  He gives us more than we can handle so we can see our need for God and know Him, actually know God.  If I can live my life in my own strength then I succumb to the illusion that I do not need God.  I then don't take risks and stay comfortable because in this I can rely upon myself instead of relying on Him.  

When you decide to step out into the unknown and be obedient to the point of discomfort, it will appear to the world as foolishness.  But take heart, God's ways are not ours.  If you find yourself following the patterns of this world then you have missed something along the way.